Xfinity seems to position the company to compete with Verizon Communications, which markets its TV and Internet services as FiOS, and AT&T, which uses U-verse. Cablevision, the New York-based cable company, sells its services under the brand Optimum.

For years, Comcast has been that old stand-by; oft-dumped on but essentially the only provider willing to provide the more basic service that so many low-tier customers rely on, i.e., expanded basic service via analog; physical traps to secure expanded basic instead of digital addressable converters, etc. Comcast has taken a beating for how its accommodation to the low-tier customers has essentially relegated it as an also-ran with regard to what higher-tier customers want: more HD channels; superior broadband Internet service; premium telephone services; etc. This name change effectively marks the demarcation between the old Comcast, a service offering that survives on bottom-feeding (because the competitors are "too expensive" or "too complicated" or "too difficult to obtain access to"), and the new Xfinity, a service offering that is going to start going after the high-end of the market, because that's where future profitability can be found.

This represents a big concern for those lower-tier customers. While the government has ensured that lower-tier customers shall continue to have a "reasonably-priced" B1 service, the problem is that the government has not taken steps to force Comcast's competitors to serve the lower-tier customers as well as Comcast has, with services beyond B1 service. Comcast can effectively show, in many areas, that their own business is harmed by continuing to be the only company that considers the needs of the lower-tier customer for services beyond B1. To continue to pay the costs of that consideration is disrespectful of Comcast's overriding obligations to its owners. Rebadging the service as Xfinity makes it clear that they're turning their attention to what's really important to their business, long-term.